OTTAWA — Today, the New Democratic Party of Canada announced the appointment of former MP Matthew Green as the party’s Interim National Director.

“Matthew Green has spent his entire political life fighting against injustice and building power from the ground up,” says NDP Leader Avi Lewis. “From his years as a community organizer and city councillor in Hamilton to his work in Parliament challenging systemic racism, wealth inequality, and attacks on workers’ rights, he has always been a dedicated people’s champion.”

Green’s appointment as Interim National Director comes at a moment of renewal and transition for the NDP.

“Our mandate from our members is to chart a new direction for our party – one that’s rooted in grassroots organizing and advances bold solutions to the many crises facing working-class Canadians,” said Lewis. “Matthew represents that spirit. He also brings to the table the extensive work he undertook with former MP Peter Julian in the ‘NDP Renewal’ project during the leadership campaign. He’s perfectly suited to oversee the first chapter of our party’s new story.”

Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Green was the first Black Canadian elected to Hamilton City Council in 2014. As councillor, he successfully fought to regulate payday lending and advanced policies on public transit, housing, and anti-poverty initiatives. He has served as the executive director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion and as an advisor to the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), where he helped advance a national public transit strategy.

Green became the federal NDP MP representing Hamilton Centre in 2019 and served until 2025. As the NDP’s labour critic, he was a champion for stronger collective bargaining rights, a ban on scab labour, and justice for workers in precarious and federally-regulated sectors.

Green will hold the position of Interim National Director for three months. The permanent National Director position will be filled through an open hiring process in the coming months.